Connecting Organizational and Personal Purpose: A Two-Way Journey

Connecting Organizational and Personal Purpose: A Two-Way Journey

Many organizations have made progress in defining an Organizational Purpose that goes beyond the traditional notion that a company exists solely to generate profits for its shareholders. Some have gone a step further, interpreting this Purpose as a unifying force for their strategy and organizational culture, fostering a specific type of interaction not only with their customers, employees, and partners, but also with the communities where they operate and the citizens with whom they regularly interact.

These are significant changes in the way we think about an organization, but ultimately, they are only the beginning of the challenge. Once the Purpose has been defined, it must be brought to life within the organization, which—in addition to a significant sales and marketing effort—requires a shift in mindset among the people and teams that make up the organization.

It is not enough to say—as Google’s Purpose states—“we exist to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible” if the teams do not strive to make that information available through all the means at their disposal. It’s not possible to fulfill Nike’s Mission of “Bringing inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world” if its employees don’t go the extra mile to serve customers with agility in every one of its stores.

How can we foster a sense of the organizational purpose among individuals and teams? How can we ensure that the promise defined in the purpose is fulfilled every day in our interactions with customers and other stakeholders?

Some organizations tackle this challenge of development and connection rather ineffectively. They try to “impose” a certain vision (usually using the words “align” or “pass down” information), when it’s not possible to force people to be kind or go the extra mile. They try to start with the front-line workers, when high-level agreements are often required to move forward with the certainty that there won’t be a reversal a few weeks later. Or, worse yet, they try to train all employees using standardized scripts to smile or be friendly, when we know they aren’t machines but human beings who think and feel.

An alternative approach to this challenge is as follows: start by initiating change through people—particularly leaders—but with the full commitment of the organization. What kind of change? The change of connecting people with their Purpose—helping them understand why they do what they do—so that they can take ownership of their Personal Purpose and activate their Purpose Mindset by finding a meaningful connection between the Organization’s Purpose and their own. It’s about moving away from the transactional mindset of working in exchange for a paycheck and embracing the mindset of working because it contributes to my personal fulfillment—because what I do aligns with my Purpose. Ultimately, it’s about starting by empowering people to lead their own lives, so they can then lead others, teams, and organizations.

Gaining a deeper understanding of employees’ Personal Purpose and how to bring it to life at work can help people be willing to go the extra mile, provide the necessary information, and deal with that difficult customer—because they realize that feeling fulfilled at work is crucial to feeling fulfilled in their lives as well. In fact, a study conducted by Aaron Hurst, Purpose Economist at Almabrands, showed that people who know their Purpose are three times more likely to feel fulfilled, motivated, and productive in their workplaces compared to those who do not. (Workforce Purpose Index, Imperative, 2019) After all, we spend too much time at work for it to be merely a collection of hours traded for a paycheck.

Engagement is not the same as alignment: the challenge is mobilization

If we truly want to bring an organization’s Purpose to life, the challenge isn’t about aligning people, but rather about inspiring them to become aware of their Personal Purpose and, from there, connect it to the organization’s Purpose. What changes is not (just) the organization; what changes is the mindset and daily behavior of the people who are part of it on a day-to-day basis—and, as a result, their connection, commitment, impact, and, above all, sense of fulfillment.

Author: Cristián Irarrazaval – Manager of Training and Cultural Transformation